04 May 2024 (gig)
06 May 2024
You could have been mistaken for thinking you were back in the 80s at Esher Theatre in Surrey when Leee John kicked off his Flashback Greatest Hits tour.
The flamboyant frontman of Imagination looks and sounds exactly as he did back in the day, radiating boundless energy and enthusiasm as he partied with the crowd.
Original 80s kids relived all those great classics from the 1981 Imagination album Body Talk, such as In and Out of Love, So Good So Right, and the name of the tour itself, Flashback.
And while there was a huge dose of nostalgia, the audience were also treated to some great new material from the very talented Leee John.
This included The Lost Chord, his recent collaboration with Gorillaz featuring Damon Albarn, who approached him for his sheer vocal prowess.
He also played the magnificent Take Me Back, a very sultry and soulful jazz track, which is from his latest album Intimate Glow, produced with his Shakatak friend Bill Sharpe.
Recreating the Caribbean vibe in Surrey, Leee and his talented band and backing singers ramped up the heat with a Bob Marley medley, including much-loved hits Three Little Birds, Stir it Up and One Love, as well as covers of Kool and the Gang’s Celebration and Arrow’s Hot Hot Hot.
Leee John has a real warmth for his fans which is evident at his live performances when he really engages with the audience, inviting them to join and celebrate his music back catalogue, as well as his new material.
In fact, he even asked the audience which song they wanted to hear, either The Stylistics hit Betcha By Golly, Wow (which features on Mauro Dirago’s Re-Discovered All Stars Album) and the Foundations’ much-loved classic Now That I’ve Found You.
When they resoundingly chose both, Leee had no choice but to go with popular demand, much to the delight of the audience who were given a double dose of the Leee magic.
Another highlight was when Leee’s support act Lucien Moon (jokingly described by Leee as his stage son) joined the band on stage to sing Music and Lights with Leee. Such a great duet and lovely to see shining new talent.
Closing the show with one of Imagination’s best loved hits, Illusion, the band played a very special extended version (a bit like the old 12inch vinyl!), leaving the audience under no illusion that the passage of time has in no way dimmed Leee John’s Music and Lights.
